Transcendence (Drink Me In)
by Crystallinee
Summary: Itachi's two most dominant instincts were always battling each other – the intense urge to ravish his willing little brother and lose himself completely in the temptation, and the equally strong need to keep him safe from every danger in this world – including himself. ItaSasu, SasuIta. Vampire AU.
1. Part I

_**Drink Me In**_

 _You alone are what my soul needs  
You know the thirst is taking over  
Hardly breathe, I'm in urgent need  
Drip it on my tongue  
I could swallow your beauty whole  
Crash in the sweet obsession of you_

* * *

That familiar sensation seeped into the core of their bones, warning them. There was no need to move the heavy curtains from the window in order to know what it came from. The most dangerous time of the day; a glowing ball of heat ascending from the darkness. Dawn was approaching, bringing the heavy drowsiness.

Just like everyone of their kind they could feel it with utmost intensity. A hissing sound escaped through sharp teeth. It was uncomfortable, a slight stinging sensation in the back of their throats and a temporary headache.

Sasuke had just entered a deep sleep; it was now that their time to rest began. The night's activities had left him exhausted, but the warmth around him was withdrawing and made him unable to relax. The rustling sound of blankets being pulled aside roused his senses. He raised his head from the pillow and grunted quietly with annoyance.

His sharp hearing picked up the sounds of clothes being pulled on.

"Itachi," he breathed.

"I'm going to hunt." The older man's voice was bone-dry and raspy as he leaned over the younger, his long dark hair falling down in his eyes. His dry lips met Sasuke's briefly.

Sasuke was pulled completely out of his drowsiness as he heard the strained beating of his brother's heart, the restrained _urge_ to bite that Itachi fought against. Sasuke didn't stop to think, the aching in his throat was unbearable and he let his fangs sink down into Itachi's lips. His body responded immediately with tingling pleasure as his older brother's sweet essence entered his mouth. Itachi gave a low, surprised moan.

The elder pulled back immediately as if he had been burned. He instinctively ran his tongue over the minimal wound, his eyes turning sparkling red as he tasted his own blood.

"You are going to be the death of me, Sasuke," he mumbled, still with that restrained yearning in his eyes. "I have told you not to test me like that, ever." He pulled on his dark, velvet coat that covered his head and black gloves, making sure every inch of his skin was covered. His stunning face was well hidden from sight. But Sasuke knew that once he found a victim, they would gaze upon the uncovered, godlike face of his brother.

"I'll be back in a couple of hours. Don't go outside, Otouto."

"I'll come with you," the younger urged as he sat up in their enormous four-poster bed.

Itachi was already on his way to the door. "Stay here. I will be back before you know it."

That promise, with all its hidden meanings, was enough for Sasuke to relax a bit.

Hunting while the sun was up was a very difficult task, not to mention dangerous, but Itachi with his superior abilities managed without any trouble. Ever since they were children, their parents had allowed Itachi to go out alone. Sasuke had never been trusted with the same responsibility – he was always scolded if he left the house during daytime.

They both preferred hunting during the nightly hours, but since they had been very busy with other… activities lately, they had no choice. Their thirst was getting unbearable and they needed more than their own blood to sustain themselves. Their mother and father always slept heavily during the day, in the other end of the mansion. Both Sasuke and Itachi were supposed to take care of their thirst by themselves since an early age, but for some reason that was never the case.

Even after sixteen years, Sasuke still wasn't allowed to go out in during daytime without the company of his brother. He wanted to hunt on his own, but the possibility never arouse. His mother had given him energy when he was very small, then Itachi had kept on feeding him blood whenever necessary. Itachi had hunted by himself since he was a child; he was the pride of the family.

Sasuke hissed as a ray of sunlight found its way through the curtains. The sun was their eternal enemy. It hurt their eyes, made their throats ache and felt like fire on the skin. He had heard that if one were to remain in direct sunlight for too long, the burning flames of hell would consume you, leaving behind nothing but ashes. It supposedly happened to their great uncle, many years ago. He knew he need not worry about Itachi, but a sad aching feeling in the bottom of his stomach told him that he missed him already.

He stood up, his torn nightgown still hanging onto his shoulders. He could impossibly go back to sleep now. The hunger - or rather, the thirst – intensified until it felt like he had a lump of dry sand in the back of his throat. The venom flooded his mouth. He needed Itachi to return now, or else he would go insane.

Sasuke quickly changed clothes and put on his own black cape, made for hunting. As he left the bedroom behind and snuck out through the back door, he made sure to properly cover his face.

The sharp sunlight outside was blinding; the streets reflected it, adding to its intensity. Sasuke found it most uncomfortable. The sun had risen properly and heat enveloped the village like a thick blanket.

The humans that walked past him gave him strange looks, trying to get a glimpse of his face. They were all dressed in light summer clothes, and Sasuke realized he really stood out. It wasn't going to make hunting easier, but he didn't care. He bit his tongue, the taste comforting him somewhat, and reminded himself he had to stay undercover. He couldn't disappoint his family by accidentally attacking someone on the street and revealing their existence. Their clan's secret had been well hidden for centuries.

Sasuke walked around for nearly an hour, looking for empty alleys and parking lots where he could be safe from any witnesses. Finally, by the corner of an abandoned school he spotted a blond and a pink-haired girl talking. He approached them cautiously, the venom coating his tongue. Two at the same time – how delightful. He would show Itachi and his parents that he was capable of hunting on his own. He didn't need to be fed by anyone, he wasn't a child. He looked around for a suitable place to drag them away to so that he could feed on them undisturbed.

The girls noticed him and eyed him suspiciously. To make matters worse, Sasuke spotted three men approaching in his peripheral vision. The sunlight was weakening him by the minute; the thirst was scratching his throat and he was starting to lose his patience. He could not take on five humans by himself in this state. The realization made him grit his teeth.

He should have waited for Itachi. Now Sasuke didn't have any restraint left, he needed to fill his throat with warm, sweet blood at once. Even if he had to make a mess and leave trails behind… How did Itachi always manage to hunt so smoothly? Sasuke's thirst intensified painfully when he imagined his brother's strong, graceful hands, catching human necks swiftly, his lips parting and his sharp teeth sinking into that soft flesh…

He walked away from the girls; they looked as if they were going to hit him if he came any closer. They were no match for him, he could take them down easily, but he must not attract any attention. If people came to check what was going on, he might lose control.

He restlessly strode around in town, looking for any suitable victim that was isolated just enough, so that his act would go unseen. An old lady carrying groceries, an infant in a stroller, left outside a shop… a stray dog - no, he despised animal blood - it didn't matter anymore. Sasuke bit back the thirst every time he saw a human, remembering his brother's words. Itachi hated to kill innocents. He only did it if he absolutely had to. Their father, Fugaku, did not care about innocent or guilty humans. They were nothing but food to him.

Sasuke had only seen his brother kill someone many years ago, when he was six years old. He remembered it perfectly clearly, of course. He had been outside by himself at night, happy that he was allowed to leave the house.

 _His head perched up, curiously, as a terrified scream cut through the night calm. Sasuke walked down the street, still within sight from his house as his mother had told him, and gasped at what he saw._

 _A large human man held a woman tightly by her neck, pressing her up against the brick wall. There were no other people around in the alleyway, only Sasuke and the humans. He felt fear creep up his spine as the man's hollow eyes turned towards him. The man grasped the woman tighter while she pleaded and whimpered._

 _Unable to stand by and watch, Sasuke rushed over as fast as his little legs could carry him. Maybe if he asked nicely enough, the man would let the woman go? He had been taught that humans were harmless, but the man's furious aura told him otherwise._

" _Let her go!" Sasuke pleaded and tried to make his voice commanding, like his father's. Instead, a frightened squeal left his lips._

 _The woman looked at him with fearful eyes._ " _Run!" she whispered._

 _The man dropped the woman on the ground and turned towards Sasuke, grabbing him roughly by his collar. Sasuke tried to remember how to use his powers, but he was not strong enough to get free – his fangs had not even matured yet. He tried to use his eye powers to scare the human, but it only made his eyes sting._

 _The grip on his shirt tightened and the man raised his fist. "You damn brat – "_

 _Sasuke closed his eyes. A rough push made him open them again in shock, and he realized he was sitting on the pavement. The man was lying on the street in front of him, gasping and clutching his bleeding throat._

 _A familiar dark clothed figure was standing above them, something metallic gleaming in his hand. Itachi swiftly bent down and let the blade slit the human's throat. His dark voice sent shivers through Sasuke's little body. "People like you are the ones we prey upon."_

 _He brought his face to the human's neck. The sound when his teeth crushed the man's throat made Sasuke's eyes widen. He had never seen a hunt before._

 _The woman had fainted on the street behind them. Sasuke noticed that she was unharmed. He turned his eyes to his brother again, unable to look away._

 _After feeding, Itachi rose to his feet and looked down at Sasuke, his eyes sparkling crimson._

 _The shame burned on his cheeks._ " _I'm sorry, Nii-san…"_

 _His older brother wiped some blood away from his face and his eyes turned kind again. "Don't go putting yourself in danger, Sasuke. Now, let's go home. I don't want you out here."_

 _He held out his hand and Sasuke grasped it firmly. He finally felt safe._

That incident had changed many things. For starters, it was decided that Sasuke was not capable of hunting for himself – something Itachi strongly agreed with, despite Sasuke's repeated objections. Fugaku had been very disappointed when he heard what happened.

"Humans are no threat to vampires. Especially not to vampires from a noble clan like ours," he had spat. The condescending tone of his voice had made Sasuke flinch.

Second, that was when Sasuke learned exactly what his older brother was doing when he left the house at night. His brother was not a cold-blooded murderer - he was a good vampire. Among all other bloodthirsty beasts, Itachi was _good_. Sasuke tried to follow the same path, to only prey on human predators. No matter how his thirst tormented him, he would do it like Itachi.

It was not an easy path to walk, however. Sasuke cursed under his breath as he felt himself getting weaker by the minute. The sunlight tried to penetrate his protective coat and he could feel a drop of sweat form on his temple. He needed blood desperately, but the only humans he ran across were nice-looking, innocent citizens. Was there not a single criminal in this village? Or had Itachi wiped the place clean?

Damn it. Sasuke was born a vampire, yet he couldn't manage hunting. Itachi had spoiled him out of protection all these years. Sasuke felt his eyes flare red as the dryness in his throat almost made him cough. Why did Itachi have to excel at it?

He sought shelter in a shadowy alleyway, supporting himself against a wall while panting heavily. He felt the presence of a human near, making the thirst flare like a violent fire in his throat.

He felt close to collapsing as he crept towards the human, feeling the venom drop from his lips. _So close..._

A hand gripped his wrist tightly. Sasuke turned around, instinctively baring his fangs and growling low in his throat.

"What do you think you're doing, Sasuke?" That familiar, slightly annoyed voice filled his senses.

"Nii-sa-hn…" The desperate need took over, making him dizzy. The elder's breath smelled of fresh blood; he was satisfied. Sasuke's hands turned into claws against his brother's chest, gasping desperately.

Itachi swiftly leaned down and Sasuke bit into his neck without hesitation, hungrily gulping down mouthful after mouthful of blood. He felt Itachi's arms encircle him and hold him in place. The strength and life force of human strangers, mixed with Itachi's own, sweet energy, flooded into Sasuke's system. His muscles gained strength again, his vision became clearer and the aching his throat immediately subsided. It felt so incredibly satisfying; pieces of his brother's mind filled him and he felt like they were one being.

He absolutely loved feeding from Itachi. He gasped with pleasure, tingling sensations spread through his stomach and down through his thighs, centering in his abdomen. His soul was pleasured; Itachi's energy entered him and intertwined with every single cell in his body.

He gasped and grasped his brother's hair as the elder tightened his grip around him. So sweet, the thick, warm liquid sent shivers through his body and soul. If he wasn't getting full so quickly, he would never stop drinking from him.

When the younger was satisfied by the mixture of penguin feeding and nursing from his brother, Itachi leaned down and licked Sasuke's lips, connecting them in a quick kiss.

"You're as stubborn as ever, going out when I told you not to." Sasuke could sense a hint of disapproval in his brother's voice. "The sun is dangerous and you're far from skilled enough to hunt by yourself."

"Then teach me." Sasuke stared defiantly into his eyes, feeling much more composed after feeding. He sniffed the air for a moment, checking for the human he sensed earlier.

"No," was Itachi's simple reply, his gaze unwavering. Just like they couldn't compare their physical strength, the elder usually won their arguments.

However, Sasuke wasn't going to let him win this time. "Then I'm going to learn it by myself, and you can't stop me."

Itachi's features tightened for just a moment before he composed himself. He leaned down, his breath sweeping over Sasuke's face. "My dear little brother…" he mumbled against Sasuke's neck, his fangs teasingly grazing his skin without any risk of losing control now.

"You're too foolish… risking your life like this is unacceptable. I won't let you be this careless."

Sasuke tensed, feeling his heart race. Itachi placed a hand over his chest and smiled. Sasuke leaned up and kissed him feverishly, successfully distracting his brother. As soon as he felt Itachi let down his guard a bit, he swiftly turned around and used his full speed to run in the direction of the human.

He was going to prove, once and for all, that he didn't need to be taken care of. He could hunt for himself. His heart beat violently when he sensed Itachi's presence following. However, Sasuke would make it before him.

Sasuke chased the human down an empty pathway, before jumping his prey and pressing him into the ground. It was an older man that he had seen picking up girls from street corners at multiple occasions.

"Let go of me, you devil!" The man protested and cursed while helplessly trying to wriggle out of his grip.

"Say goodbye to your pathetic life," Sasuke replied coldly. Pride swelled in his chest. _People like you are the ones we prey upon._

He brought his teeth down to the human's neck. He had never drunk from someone unwilling before, and never with the intent to kill. He didn't like seeing the raw fear in the man's eyes, hearing his desperate pleas. It reminded him of the woman he had seen so many years ago.

Sasuke hesitated for a moment, his hands firmly grasping the man's shoulders and pushing him down into the pavement with ease. He wasn't even thirsty right now – Itachi's blood was so satiating.

Could he murder someone, just to prove his worth?

"It seems like you aren't ready, after all," a calm voice said from behind him. Sasuke immediately turned his head to see his brother standing a few feet away, watching him with a slightly amused expression.

Sasuke hissed in response and glared at his brother. Unbeknownst to him, his prey made good use of the distraction as well. Sasuke felt a sudden, cold pressure against his throat and turned his face to see the man holding a gun to it.

"Damn you!" Sasuke hissed and raised his hand, but a split second later the man was snatched out of his grip. Itachi's hands snapped the human's neck with such ease, as if he was merely turning the page of a book. He was so graceful, attacking like a deadly snake when he let his teeth crush the man's jugular.

To Sasuke's surprise, he didn't drink. The younger was unprepared when his brother turned his eyes to him. They were gentler than he expected, the crimson hue fading quickly.

"First lesson: never allow yourself to get distracted."

"I could have done it myself!"

His older brother raised an eyebrow and dropped the corpse to the ground. The gun hit the pavement with a hard, metallic sound.

"You do like playing with death, Sasuke." He sighed. "I might as well teach you before you do something truly reckless."

"Thank you, Nii-san." Sasuke leaned forward to lick away the blood that seeped down the corner of Itachi's mouth, before pressing their lips together.

Itachi swept him into his arms. "Enough for today. Let's go back, Otouto."

They were soon back in their large, secluded bedroom. Sasuke lay on the bed, his body fully satiated. The hours were already turning; they were rapidly entering the next stage of the day. For immortal beings like them, life only had two stages.  
Day and Night.

The moon was soon high in the sky; its cool light shining upon them. This change was the most pleasurable, nothing like the break of dawn. They had the energy of a thousand years. Others of their kind were out hunting and roaming the dark world by now, but they had other plans. Their eyes shone red with lust and anticipation.

Itachi settled himself on top of his little brother, deeply breathing his sweet scent and licking his neck in deep affection. The thirst that was slowly taking over now was of a completely different kind. Thirst for one's beloved, an insatiable thirst.

Itachi pressed his face against Sasuke's neck before gently biting down. Sometimes he was rougher, other times gentler, but each time was an experience out of this world. He choked on a low moan of pleasure as the sweet, sugary blood of Sasuke - the best of all - flowed into his mouth.

The rich taste heightened all of his senses, filled him with ecstasy – no filthy blood of a stranger on the street could ever compare to Sasuke's blood. And it belonged only to Itachi, just like his own blood was only for Sasuke.

He held his brother in a gentle embrace as he swallowed mouthfuls of him. Since Sasuke had fed so much from him recently, he could afford to take slightly more than usual. Itachi was always very careful with never taking too much, but it was hard to stop. Even now, when he was filled from his hunt his inner beast always wanted more. It was easy to suck a prey dry without any care, but even a vampire could die if they lost too much blood.

Itachi groaned quietly and grasped the sheets tightly, forcing himself to stop.

Sasuke was looking up at the ceiling, his eyes almost rolling back and his back arching up from the bed. Each drop that he willingly gave his brother, each drop that rushed into Itachi's waiting mouth tore a moan of pleasure from his lips. When he felt Itachi pull back he raised his arms to wrap them around his head. His brother looked down at him with restrained lust and raw desire, a delicious combination that took Sasuke to extreme heights.

A familiar ache in his throat made him gasp. He reached up and licked away a drop of blood that was left in the corner of Itachi's mouth.

They gazed at each other for a long moment, completely immersed in each other. Sasuke impatiently brushed some hair away from his brother's perfect throat again and leaned forward. Itachi's hands moved around him, ripping his shirt off with feverish urgency.

The coldness of the night embraced them, endlessly feeding their thirst.

 _I wanna drink you in  
I am drinking you in  
I wanna drink you in_

* * *

 **Many thanks to my amazing beta reader Tsukiko-Hibiko.**

 **Thank you for reading. Reviews are very welcome, I'm curious to know what you think! Should I write more?**


	2. Part II

_**Drink Me In**_

 _ **Part II**_

* * *

"Watch me, Otouto." Itachi crouched down on the roof top. His eyes glowed in the darkness, cold and determined. Anticipation rushed through Sasuke's veins.

They watched a couple walking down the street below. Only the neon lights on the shops lightened their way. A strange smell, somehow familiar yet hard to recognize, drifted through the air.

Sasuke frowned. "Are they criminals?" His voice was just loud enough so that his brother would hear him.

Itachi's eyes closely followed the humans, like a hawk spying on its prey.

"No. However, our clan's position gives us responsibility. I have a mission to accomplish."

" _You?_ "

"Stay behind me, Sasuke."

Sasuke snorted. "I can help. They're just _humans_."

His brother didn't reply.

Sasuke's eyes widened. "Vampires?"

Itachi's eyes only narrowed in reply, fully focused on his prey. His voice was barely audible. "I brought you here… since you said you wanted to learn how to hunt. I don't want you involved in this, though."

Sasuke nodded reluctantly and held his breath. Itachi slowly moved forward, inch by inch like a cat. His muscles tensed and his eyes flared with the Sharingan. Perfect calculation, determination, intention…

Sasuke felt desire boil in him. Itachi was the image of perfection.

His thoughts were interrupted when his brother did a quick hand sign. A flurry of crows suddenly emerged in front of the couple on the street, surrounding them. Itachi launched himself of the roof a split second later, landing behind them without a sound.

The woman spun around as the crows attacked her, her eyes glowing fiercely red. With bared fangs, she attempted to strike at Itachi. But the crows overwhelmed her; ripping at her clothes and skin and tangling her hair. Her male companion fought violently against the onslaught of beaks and claws with bloodied hands.

Sasuke's eyes widened. He had been so transfixed on Itachi that he hadn't noticed his surroundings, but now it was clear. They were in the same alleyway where Sasuke had caught his first prey. A trail of blood led off from the fray. That was the source of the strange smell – human blood. Several corpses were lying in the shadows. Sasuke recognized them as the citizens from his own hunt a couple of days ago.

Sasuke watched as the male vampire, now released from the frenzied birds, started to approach his brother. He made a rush at Itachi, only to be thrown to the ground. The male recovered quickly and moved again, snarling and baring his teeth.

Itachi was already standing in the place he moved to and easily struck him down again. The elder Uchiha now turned to face the woman, who by this time had fought off the last of the crows. She looked feral as he hissed at him; her eyes wild and her fangs glistening.

Sasuke leaned forward, watching intensely. Suddenly the male attacked Itachi from behind again and just as Sasuke prepared to jump off the roof, the woman went completely stiff. Itachi swiftly turned and pierced the male's chest with a flick of his silver knife that he always carried with him easily penetrated the skin.

Itachi threw the male vampire on the ground, not paying any attention to the quickly dissolving corpse as he turned to the immovable woman. A hoarse scream left her lips and her arms limply fell to her sides.

It took Sasuke a moment to realize why she didn't escape while she could – her crimson eyes were wide and frozen.

Tsukuyomi.

Another terrified sound escaped her while Itachi quickly retrieved his knife. He darted forward again, swift like a pouncing cat. His smooth lips parted over her neck and her scream turned into a gurgling sound.

A moment later it was over and Itachi straightened. He was so smooth, efficient, never leaving a mess behind. The front of his black shirt beneath his cape was completely clean, without so much as a wrinkle or a stain on the expensive silk.

Admiration and pride filled Sasuke as he watched the woman's corpse dissolve. He left the roof and jumped down, landing next to his brother. The other vampires had left a mess, however. Sasuke frowned with disgust. During the times he spent in their luxurious mansion, sleeping and feeding from Itachi, he had never been exposed to this.

The sight only made his resolve strengthen further.

Itachi turned to him, disapproval clearly visible in his face. He sighed and rubbed his forehead with slender, pale fingers. Sasuke caught sight of his eyes: the crimson hue wasvslowly fading and leaving dark grey behind.

"I hope you did not intend to join in, Sasuke."

"Did you expect me to just stand there?"

Itachi sighed.

Sasuke hissed and his hands instinctively flew up to shield his face as the very first, hesitant rays of golden light appeared between the rooftops. It made his head sting intensely and he shut his eyes tightly. His entire body reacted to that glowing orb.

Itachi walked over to him and pulled Sasuke's hood properly over his dark spikes, then gently held his face in between his hands. He lovingly pressed their foreheads together, inhaling deeply, before kissing him. The younger boy groaned into the kiss and instinctively pressed closer, wrapping his arms around Itachi.

"Nii-san…"

Itachi reluctantly pulled back, his hot breath swept over the younger's face and made him lose his focus completely. Sasuke tightened his grip around the elder's lean body.

"You smell wonderful, Otouto," Itachi groaned quietly before pressing his lips to his forehead again. Sasuke felt a tension build in his lower stomach. Itachi's body shielded him from the sunlight and he couldn't care less about their surroundings.

The need was overwhelming, taking control of him. The moment he felt Itachi's lips grazing his neck, the bliss was complete. Sasuke arched his neck, exposing his throat and urging him on. Another sensation bothered him – the world around them slowly lightened up, the annoying light infiltrated his senses.

Itachi's lips moved against his neck. "Your blood… it's singing beneath your skin, so cruelly tempting… just asking to be devoured."

His fangs touched his skin, moving like a brush over a canvas. The teasing sharpness almost drove Sasuke mad. He bucked into his brother, grinding their lower bodies together. The elder withdrew a moment later with a strangled moan. A pained look briefly crossed his face.

"It's time to go back, Sasuke. It's already dawn."

The younger's protests were effectively silenced as Itachi put a finger to his mouth and pulled him into the shadows. A few humans walked past, unaware of the bloodshed that had taken place in the darkness.

.

Sasuke yawned and squinted his eyes as Itachi lay him down on their double bed. As the elder walked over to the large window to secure the curtains he heard a light snore and realized that his brother had already fallen asleep.

Itachi smiled and discarded his velvet coat on a chair before approaching his brother. He gently pulled on the strings that kept the cape in place around Sasuke's shoulders and carefully put it aside before joining him. The room was encased in dusk, only the faintest light managed to sneak in between the floor and the heavy velvet curtains.

He let his hand caress the side of Sasuke's smooth face before moving to his silky hair. His little brother was truly… exquisite. Itachi couldn't help the fact that he still regarded him as a child in many ways. Vampires matured slower than humans, as a result of their long lifespan, and Sasuke's sixteen years were far from enough to consider him fully grown.

His little brother was still not strong enough to fully provide for himself, which was the reason Itachi kept on spoiling him. He never could deny him anything, indifferent to the fact that Fugaku strongly disapproved. Their father had expressed disappointment about Sasuke's limited abilities early on, expecting him to follow Itachi's path. That's why he had decided to always be by his brother's side.

He pulled Sasuke to his chest, adjusting his body to fit against his, and relaxed. Sasuke had from the very beginning roused an intense protective instinct in Itachi. He inhaled his Otouto's sweet scent, feeling something stir deep inside of him.

That special someone... Sasuke's blood was seething for him only, boiling, making his venom flood with desire. The term was well known among vampires – only reserved for lovers. _Il mio cantante… la mia unica tentazione._

Itachi intertwined a strand of spiky hair with his own. The milky white skin of his brother, his coal black eyes, the soft rebellious spikes surrounding his face, his thick eyelashes creating crescent moons on his pale cheeks… such a beauty was too pure to ever be tainted by this world. Itachi had a streak of possessiveness deep inside of him, much like Sasuke did, and he knew why.

From the very moment he breathed Sasuke's scent for the first time, he had known the inevitable, even if he was too young to properly describe it.

Throughout the ages, your 'singer' was proven to be your soul mate. Sharing blood with another vampire was considered such an intimate act, that it had bound them to each other. It had been inevitable that Itachi eventually had given in and allowed himself to taste that sweet, forbidden nectar. He had brought his own demise upon himself, but it was well worth it.

After all, his thirst could only be fully quenched by one person. No amount of human blood could ever do the same, but for many years he had been forced to rely on that only, deprived of what he needed the most.

Itachi tightened his arms around his brother and bit back the thirst that gradually had started bothering him since the break of dawn. They both needed their rest, but the desire was always the most dominant feeling. The smell of Sasuke's blood was so tempting; he could feel it on the tip of his tongue as he listened to the slow, steady heartbeats of his love.

Itachi's two most dominant instincts were always battling each other – the intense urge to ravage and ravish his willing little brother and lose himself completely in the temptation that his incomparable blood offered, and the equally strong need to protect him, to keep him safe from every danger in this world – including himself.

Itachi swallowed the venom that filled his mouth and let sleep defeat him.

Sasuke woke up from a familiar, scratching sensation in the back of his throat. Heavy sleepiness surrounded him, urging him to close his eyes again. His brother's delicate, reassuring scent lingered around him and made the thirst intensify. Sasuke slowly realized that his face was so very close to his brother's beautiful, muscular neck. He pressed his nose against it. The irresistible liquid flowed strongly beneath that thin layer of skin, for him only. Itachi was _his_.

The older man's pulse was slow and steady, almost teasing him. His mouth sought out the jugular and he had to use all his willpower not to press his fangs through it. Biting too violently could be dangerous even for another vampire. Sasuke had of course never had the opportunity to try his fangs on anything other than his brother, himself and his stuffed teddy bear – as a child – and he wasn't sure how to actually kill someone.

Sleep eventually managed to defeat his thirst and as he pressed himself closer to Itachi he concluded that nothing must stand in his way – he was going to learn how to hunt someone, _kill_ someone, by himself. If he didn't, he could end up losing control and harm his Nii-san someday.

.

Itachi was four years old when his father decided that he must learn to hunt by himself. Fugaku had not allowed him to feed from anyone for a week prior to the 'lesson', making his son starved. He then took him outside during the night. Itachi had attacked the first human he saw. He remembered it all too well; the feeling of sinking his small fangs into the neck of an adult human twice his size and emptying its veins. He had made a mess, but his father had been pleased.

A couple of years later Sasuke was born. For the six year old Itachi, the new family member was a very strange creature.

"He has no teeth," he commented as he inspected the newborn in his mother's arms. His baby brother yawned and Itachi could only see the smallest, minimal hint of something white in his gums.

"It's true," their mother smiled.

"So he can't hunt," Itachi established. Was there something wrong with his baby brother?

"He will grow fangs just like you, when he is older," Mikoto explained. "I will give him energy until he needs blood. Do you want to hold him, Itachi?"

Itachi took the bundle in his arms and swallowed. His baby brother smelled good; much better than any human he had come across before. Sasuke's fragrance reminded him of a strong flower he didn't know the name of. Delicate, sharp and luscious; he could almost taste the sweetness on his tongue. Still, it roused only the faintest warmth in his throat. The burning ache was missing. Itachi had already developed a fair amount of self control, but even a scent as overwhelming as this was surprisingly easy to ignore.

Mikoto watched him and smiled. "Infants have a very small amount of blood in their bodies compared to adults," she explained gently. "That's why you must not drink from him Itachi, even if he smells good."

He knew enough to realize what that meant. Instinctively he pressed his baby brother closer to his body before gravely looking over at their mother.

"I will protect him."

.

His baby brother was indeed a very strange creature. He slept heavily during the nights; his tiny body so unmoving and still that Itachi listened close for his heartbeat just to make sure. During the day Sasuke screamed and fussed, putting Fugaku in a foul mood and making Mikoto and Itachi lose their sleep.

It wasn't until the crib was put in Itachi's room that Sasuke gradually grew calmer. When he was a year old and stopped feeding on energy only, Mikoto asked Itachi to babysit him during the nights when she and Fugaku were out hunting.

One night Itachi watched Sasuke sleeping in his crib like usual; his small hands were clenched instinctively on each side on his face and his face was turned on the side, exposing his minimal neck. His baby brother was so exposed, so helpless.

Itachi wondered how he ever could become a real vampire and hunt for himself – maybe his baby brother was disabled. He had never seen such a tiny vampire before, one that didn't even have fangs. It seemed abnormal, like a bird without a beak. Mikoto said that all babies were like that, but Itachi found it hard to believe. He had no memory of that; he had always been aware of his surroundings even as a small child and his fangs grew out early.

Sasuke started waking up; his big eyes slowly opened to reveal dark irises glowing faintly red. As he uttered a quiet whine, Itachi lifted him up and cradled his small body.

"Good morning, Otouto."

Sasuke's strong, sweet fragrance enveloped them both and made a slight ache rise in the back of Itachi's throat. Still, there was something within him that forbid him to as much as think about sinking his fangs into that neck – he knew he just couldn't. He would never let Sasuke come to harm.

His baby brother started crying and Itachi rocked him reassuringly, watching his eyes turn a darker shade of crimson.

"Are you thirsty?"

He held his wrist in front of the baby's mouth. Sasuke abruptly stopped crying. His eyes went wide for a moment before his lips closed around it and he started sucking intensely.

The feeling of wet gums pressing into his skin without the slightest success of breaking it made Itachi confused. He only felt a faint scraping from a premature tooth. His brother would never survive like this.

Itachi brought his wrist to his own mouth, ignoring the saliva from the baby and let his fangs pierce the skin. He didn't waste a drop and let Sasuke indulge at once.

The baby closed his eyes and sucked for only a few minutes before his head fell back. Sasuke's mouth formed a perfect little 'o' as he slept heavily.

Itachi wiped the corners of his mouth clean before kissing his forehead slowly. This feeling was completely new. Knowing that his baby brother was completely dependent on others for his survival, and furthermore so very tempting with his own sweet blood… it only strengthened his protective urge. The realization that he had used his own life source to feed his brother, that his own blood now filled Sasuke's stomach…

It made him want more.

* * *

 **To be continued. Reviews are very appreciated!  
Thanks to my beta Tsukiko-Hibiko for feedback and support.  
**

 **Love, Crystallinee**


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